Hum Hallelujah
by fuchsia.stoplight
Summary: Castiel was getting too old to be adopted from the neko mill. Just when he was beginning to lose hope in God, he met Dean Winchester. (Neko Cas/Human Dean, AU)
1. Pilot

**PLEASE READ: Hello friends! This is another side fanfic I've started due to my recent (re)obsession with Supernatural. Little Cas is just the cutest thing, and since all of my stories seem to involve nekos, I decided why not? I'll write a Supernatural AU where Cas is a little neko boy. This will be a Destiel fanfiction and probably get a little... hm... spicy. Just to clear up, Cas is small in this story. I have a little standard in my head that nekos are all very small laboratory-created things. For story's sake, let's just pretend Cas is much smaller than Dean. Sam and Dean aren't hunters in this either. Let me know if you guys like this and if you'd like me to continue! Please review! :D **

* * *

**HUM HALLELUJAH**

**1. PILOT**

**9:18 AM, 14 JUNE HOUSTON TX**

I opened my eyes but saw nothing. The room I was lying in was darker than night and humid, making my skin sticky with moisture. I began to fidget uncomfortably but soon realized that the _room _was more or less a _crate, _and that the crate was rumbling softly with the distant hum of an engine. Although I couldn't see, I had a vague idea of where I might have been.

I pulled himself into a sitting position and wrapped my arms around my wobbly knees. My trousers were damp from sweat and my chest was bare except for the cool chain that dangled down my torso. This chain was connected to the thick leather collar locked around my throat, giving me barely enough room to breathe.

My ears twitched uncomfortably. The smells around me were unfamiliar and the humidity of the boarding crate masked any scents that may have lingered. Every part of me seemed to bump into one wall of the crate. There was no obvious exit to the box other than the tiny breathing holes cut half-hazardly above my head. I was blind and oblivious to wherever the men in white were taking me now.

I assumed I was being transported in a truck. The crate occasionally shifted and bounced over what I assumed to be bumps in the road, and during these moments I could hear the quiet mews of other neko. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the bigger image: I was merely one of the many nekos being transported in the back of an eighteen-wheeler. That semi would be driven by one of the white-coated men, accompanied by an assistant in case something went wrong. But nothing ever went wrong. Not with NEKO INC.

With a violent thrust of the crate, my head was rammed into the corner. I heard other muffled grunts of pain as other nekos were injured as well, although one stood out from the others. This male was loud and clear as if he was directly on the other side of the thin wooden wall.

"Well _that _was certainly unpleasant!"

I rubbed the side of my head warily and pressed one ear against the wall. I was certain that the owner of the voice was one of my siblings from the neko mill.

"Balthazar?" I called quietly, half afraid I would be heard by one of the men in white. I didn't want to call any attention to myself, and the men in white hated when nekos talked amongst themselves.

There was a short pause before the accented voice responded.

"Castiel? Is that you?"

I let out a sigh of relief. We were very lucky to be placed so close together in transportation. Usually there was an effort to keep kin apart from each other.

"It's me, Balthazar. Are you safe?" Balthazar was my older brother, but we looked nothing alike. While I was small and fragile with messy dark hair, Balthazar was blonde with a larger build.

"If you consider bleeding from my cranium _safe, _then yes, I'm fantastic." The older brother said sarcastically. His voice was close and comforting, and for a moment I imagined we weren't in a cramped box being shipped to who-knows-where. I imagined we would be free someday, living in a comfortable little house and watching television together with a cold beverage in our hands. There were no heavy collars around our necks and no men in white coats telling us that we were inferior to the human species.

When I opened my eyes, the pleasant daydream faded. We were still stuck in wooden boxes and there was a possibility that we would be separated soon. Like the rest of my brothers and sisters, I was likely never to see Balthazar again.

"Where do you think they're taking us?" I asked, barely audible over the roar of the engine.

"Another mill, of course. What else can they do with us?"

Unfortunately, my older brother was right. Being a neko meant being relocated from mill to mill across the country until some rich man with too much money would purchase you, likely using you for housework or sexual perversions. You were born in a mill, raised in a mill by intimidating men with white lab coats and then sold to a complete stranger to live your life in loyal servitude.

Of course, there were a few rare cases where nekos would be adopted for companionship. In the best of situations, you were given comfortable lives in mansions with your new owners and your only discomfort would be the eyes of the public, judging you for existing. For many neko, that was a fairytale. It was difficult to escape the abusive hands of the men in white.

The engine cut off and the rumbling of the crates stopped abruptly. There was an eerie silence and I held my breath, wrapping my tail around my waist. The back door of the truck opened loudly and for the first time, I saw light beaming in through the tiny holes in his crate. Sunshine.

"_I hate this part." _said the distant, unfamiliar voice of a man. _"They're so loud and stupid." _

I could hear the men starting to shift crates. The sound of wood scratching along the metal floor of the truck was enough to pierce my eardrums, so I covered my ears with my hands. Other voices erupted from the silence, protesting loudly at being pulled out of their crates by the cruel hands of the men in white. I patiently waited my turn.

When a neko would get too loud, the men in white would hit them or throw them to the ground to shut them up. Of course, I always did my best to stay quiet and listen to their orders, and because of that I had far less bruises than the others. Even Balthazar had his fair share of discolored skin, mostly for his sarcastic comments and bad attitude. I could hear Balthazar being pulled out of his crate, tugged by the chain on his collar out of the truck.

"Don't I have any rights?" the blonde neko joked, coughing from an obvious yank to his neck. "Can't I see a doctor? My head is bleeding quite badly and I highly doubt you'll make any money off of a wounded-"

"Shut up you little shit."

I closed his eyes again, visualizing my brother being pulled away from the truck by a violent and irritated men in white. I silently prayed my foolish brother wouldn't pay the consequences for his behavior.

Sudden light blinded me as the lid was lifted off of the crate. Strong hands grabbed me beneath my underarms and lifted me out of the box, setting me on my bare feet. The gravel beneath my toes was sharp and hot.

Another man in white grabbed the dangling chain of my collar and tugged me in the direction of a dark green warehouse. Another neko mill.

There was a long line of nekos in all shapes and sizes lined up to go into the mill. Our chains were being connected to each other's collars as if we were in a prison line. I was quickly hooked up to my brother's collar, and another male was hooked up to my own.

In the sunlight, I could clearly see the crimson hair on the back of my brother's head.

"You're hurt badly." I gasped while the men went back for the next neko. "How did that happen?" I wasn't stupid- a wound like that couldn't have been obtained from a bump against the crate.

Balthazar turned his head ever so slightly to face his younger brother, his signature smirk on his lips.

"I tried to resist when they were putting us in the crates." he explained proudly. "That hefty one over there hit me with the boarding ramp."

I turned my lips into a sad frown and looked at the ground. My feet were caked with dirt and they had new scrapes from the gravel but the pain was nothing compared to the sympathy I felt for Balthazar. With a head wound like that, he was likely to be put down instead of being treated.

I decided to turn to spiritual hope once again, bowing my head politely.

_Dear Lord, _I prayed. _Please heal my brother's head. Please watch over him and give him the strength to get through these hard times. Please guide him and help him make the right decisions. Most of all, Lord, please take him away from this place. Please give him the freedom and happiness he deserves. If that means that I have to endure the hardships without him, Lord, please help him out. Amen._

I straightened up and started walking in the assembly line of nekos. We entered through the large doorway of the mill and were forced to shuffle our way down a cool cement hallway, which was a nice temperature change from the discomfort of the moving truck. A few times I found myself stepping in something wet and sticky, but I refused to look down to see whether it had been blood or urine from a neko ahead of me in line. Sometimes it was better not knowing.

Finally we were dismissed into a cramped room. As we entered, a man in white unhooked our collars from one another and told us to stay quiet. I stood close to Balthazar as twenty-four other neko piled into the room. There were about fifty of us altogether and the room became just as stuffy as the inside of the truck had been.

"Welcome to the Houston Neko Mill." One of the men in white greeted from the front of the room, cracking his knuckles as if he was about to personally beat all of our faces in. "My name is Crowley, and if you so much as put a toe out of line here, you're subject to my personal torment and punishment. You understand?"

I glanced at Balthazar, who was deviously smiling and already scheming ways to insult the new handler.

"Balthazar..." I whispered under my breath. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that this diva has got ego." He answered quickly. Several neko close around us chuckled. Like me, they were all aware of Balthazar's dangerous sense of humor. Since most of us were too frightened to speak up, it made him stand out in the crowd of us. Even though he was unwise to be so reckless, he was also brave.

"You'll be spending most of your time in here. There are handlers on guard twenty-four seven, so I wouldn't suggest trying anything… hasty." The handler named Crowley gazed over the lot of us, but I could have sworn his eyes landed on Balthazar longer than anyone else. "There is a bathroom to the back of the room. No windows, so don't bother. We're not your maids, so keep it clean. The lights will be shut off at ten o'clock sharp, hope you like the dark. Make yourselves comfortable, my pets."

The nekos around me seemed to nod their heads obediently. No one spoke until Crowley had left the room and closed the door loudly behind him.

This mill, like the previous three I had seen, was crowded and musty. There were no beds or benches for us to sit on, and the cement floor was cold as ice under our bare feet. The ceiling reached miles above our heads and there were no windows. It felt like we had all been thrown into a large cement box.

I slowly turned to Balthazar.

"You should go to the bathroom and put a cold compress on your head, to stop the bleeding." I suggested. My brother laughed and sat down against the cement wall.

"What are you, a doctor? I'm just fine. Those flea-brains aren't going to break me that easily." The blonde neko closed his eyes and continued to smile, although I was positive that he was determined to hide whatever amount of pain he felt.

Without another choice, I sunk down next to him and rested my head affectionately against his shoulder. His tail curled gently around mine and gave me the warm sense of comfort in such a cold, miserable place.

* * *

** 3:42 PM 28 JUNE HOUSTON TX**

It had been two weeks since Balthazar died.

As I suspected, the trauma to his head was too severe. Within three hours of being placed in the new neko mill, he had begun to have violent seizures and was forced to be euthanized. It was the weakest I had ever seen my brother, and I hardly had the chance to say goodbye before the men in white were carrying him away. My last living family member had been taken away, and now I was on my own.

The Houston mill was nicer than my previous home in the Baton Rouge mill. Since our transfer here, all of us had gained at least a few pounds in weight, being fed twice a day instead of twice a week. Although the cuisine wasn't particularly warm, it was much better than the tasteless oatmeal we had been fed before. Here we received a variety of bread, corn meal, spinach and rice. It was enough of a difference for me to look forward to meal times.

I had made a few acquaintances since Balthazar's death but none of them were special enough to consider friends. There was a timid neko with short brown hair named Alfie who slept near me because the darkness frightened him. He was polite and decent but too scared of everything to hold a solid conversation. A larger dark-skinned neko named Raphael was rude and cold in personality, but he had once shared his biscuit with me when mine was stolen, so I guess that made him good. A quirky boy with two different colored ears often tried to speak to me on my way to the bathroom, but I tried to ignore him because I didn't need any more boisterous acquaintances. His name was Gabriel.

Overall I tried to avoid getting too close to anyone. Making friends meant getting hurt when they were taken away from me. Perhaps it was selfish, but I had lived through enough loss to last a lifetime.

The only person I trusted was God. I often prayed to him under my breath and thanked him for keeping me alive. I prayed that Balthazar and the rest of my family was safe and happy with him. I prayed that he would find me a good home, or take me into his arms as well.

My prayers were finally answered.

The adoption process of nekos is a little secretive. Photos of us are uploaded to the NEKO INC. website with short descriptions. You can either purchase a neko straight from the website and get delivered by a handler or schedule a visit to the nearest mill to pick up your neko first hand. Until someone comes for you, you really have no idea how long you'll be in the mill.

I was sitting against the wall with a hard biscuit in my hand when the steel door slid open. We all lifted our heads, wondering who was being adopted or taken for punishment. The main handler Crowley entered and scanned the room until his eyes landed on me. I froze.

"You, with the blue eyes. Come with me."

I dropped my forgotten biscuit and stood up, hurrying over to the door. Dozens of eyes stared into my back as I approached Crowley.

_Please God, let me be getting adopted._

Crowley put his hand around the chain on my collar and led me out of the room.

"It's your lucky day, my boy." The tall handler spoke deviously, guiding me down the hallway. My skin was tingling with anticipation.

_Will my owner be nice? Will it be a man or a woman? Will they let me sleep on a bed? _

A million questions ran through my head and my heart began to beat out of my chest.

I followed Crowley excitedly through a doorway and into a very bright, pristine room. There was a counter and a shiny metal table in the middle of the room.

Excitement turned to discomfort and I stopped walking abruptly when my feet hit the tile.

"What is this?" I asked quietly, surveying the room cautiously.

Crowley yanked me towards the table and grabbed my underarms, setting me down on top of it.

"Castiel, is it?" He connected the chain on my collar to a metal pole stationed next to the uncomfortable table. I nodded timidly. "Well my furry-eared friend, it has come to my attention that you have been to four different mills now. That's quite a number."

"Yes." I nodded, furrowing my brow. "What's going on? Aren't I getting adopted?"

"Not quite." Crowley smiled in a way that made me want to cringe. "You see, not many people are interested in adopting someone of your age. You are... what, nine seasons old? Most nekos are bought in their first year of creation. I'm sure by now you realize that your chances of adoption are slim to none, pet."

My heart sunk into my chest. I wasn't getting adopted. I was getting euthanized.

"Please, don't kill me." I begged, grabbing onto the sleeve of his white coat.

"Quite sorry, really. Let's make this quick and painless, shall we?" Crowley continued to smile, digging into one of the drawers. He retrieved an injection needle and a vial of pale green liquid.

_Oh God. Oh God. Oh God, please no. Don't let him kill me. This can't be the end, please. Please don't let this be the end, Lord. _

With my collar fastened onto the pole, I was unable to flee. Crowley patted my head hastily and extended my arm towards himself, turning it upwards. His fake form of sympathy made me even more upset. My eyes burned with tears, but I did not struggle. In this world, I learned that struggling is pointless.

_God... is this your will? Do you want me to die? _

Without warning, Crowley poked the needle at the vein in my pale underarm. I felt a sharp spike of pain shoot through my body. The handler stepped back and began to discard the needles as if I was no longer sitting there, ignoring me as my mouth opened and closed. Speechless. The pain was starting to ebb away and within sixty seconds, my eyes were heavy and my heart slow.

_God... Oh, God... This is it._

Finally, gravity pulled me down to the table. My body was numb and I was unable to keep myself in a sitting position. I slowly fell onto my back and blinked groggily up at the flourescent lights. When I recognized that my eyes were closing for the last time, I tried to imagine that the blinding light was God taking me into his arms.

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** 12:32 AM 30 JUNE DALLAS TX**

In death, I was comforted by a warm glow. It felt like I was laying beneath an afternoon sun with nothing but the calming sounds of nature around me. The ocean waves hugging the hot coastal sand. The birds chirping overhead. The bees buzzing past my ears. Everything was serene and for as much as I could tell, I was alone. There was no one else in this sedating daydream, but I was so comfortable and calm to mind.

_Is this Heaven?_

Before I could open my eyes, the light behind my eyelids began to fade. The soothing sounds became more distant and it felt as if the tranquility was being taken away. Within seconds, I was in total darkness. Everything was silent.

_What just happened? _

A sudden pain erupted from every limb of my body and I was bolted awake. When my eyes shot open, I found myself not in a peaceful field, but in an overflowing mound of garbage.

_What? _

My body was stiff and weak. It was difficult to move quickly but I was able to pull myself into a sitting position. The area around me was cold and dark, but dimly lit by the moon above me. There was a suffocating scent of trash and it made me want to vomit. Apparently, I had landed myself in some sort of garbage dump.

_How? Where in the world am I? I thought I was dead? _

No, I decided. I was very much alive. There was a dull ache in my left arm where Crowley had injected me with the poison. The skin there was severely discolored but I was able to move it slowly. I was alive. Whatever poison that handler had pumped me with hadn't killed me.

I could only assume for one reason.

_Thank you, God..._

After a quick prayer to the stars, I began to shift and find a way out of the trash heap. After moving my legs from underneath a dirty bag of rotten food, I found that I was completely naked.

_They thought I was dead so they unclothed me and threw my body in the trash... Is this the kind of funeral all nekos receive? _

I tried not to imagine the bodies of my dear siblings rotting somewhere in this garbage dump. The thought brought me chills and encouraged me to keep moving.

It took a while, but after maneuvering my body I was able to make it to the bottom of the pile. I thanked God quickly for the dirt beneath my toes as I stumbled in the direction of the chain link fence.

_Where am I going?_

It didn't matter. Other than the leather collar still binding my neck, I was free.

I glanced up at the sign on the fence which read in bold letters: **Dallas Waste Management Center**.

_Dallas? _

That was a long way from Houston. I had to hope that it was far enough away from the mill to keep me safe. If Crowley and the others believed I was dead, it was better to keep it that way.

I was able to crawl my small body through a hole in the fence and make it to the other side. My nudity wasn't embarrassing but the air was cold and made my lack of clothes a disadvantage. I hadn't realized that Texas could get so cold at night.

Without a game plan in mind, I walked for at least a few hours. My legs were weak and my feet felt as if they were being grated like cheese. It was clearly the middle of the night since there was only one or two vehicles passing down the road, but I kept out of sight when they did. I hoped I could make it out of the city by dawn and find somewhere in the woods to hide out and regain my strength.

Unfortunately, my tired body wasn't going to let me get that far. I was out of breath and forced to lean against the wall of a building for support.

_Please God, just a little longer..._

My eyes were just as heavy as my legs and I slid down against the wall with my tail curled around my waist.

_I'll just rest for a few minutes... _

* * *

** 6:16 AM 1 JULY DALLAS TX**

_"Hey... hey, kid! Are you okay? Can you hear me?"_

_"Look at his tail, Dean. He's a neko."_

_"I've never seen one in person... Why is he naked?"_

_"He looks pretty beat up, maybe he got jumped or something... We should get him off the street."_

_"Put your jacket around him, Sam."_

I recognized that a sudden warmth enveloped me and I was lifted weightlessly into someone's arms. Although I couldn't force my eyes open, I allowed myself to feel comforted by the presence of these strong male voices. Unlike the voices of the men in white, they sounded concerned and sympathetic. They wanted to help me.

_"Let's go back to the motel. We'll clean him up there."_

That was the last thing I heard before slipping into a deeper subconscious, surrounded by the darkness once again.

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**What do you guys think? Are you excited to see what happens when Cas meets Dean for the first time? Have any ideas of what will happen next? Please review and let me know if I should continue writing! :D Don't be hesitant to message me either, I love feedback! Thanks everyone! Stay tuned for the next chapter! 3 fuchsia light**


	2. Thank God for the Winchesters

**2. Thank God for the Winchesters**

**2:31 PM 2 JULY DALLAS TX**

When I woke up, I was surrounded by a comfortable warmth that I had never felt before. It was so warm that the feline part of myself wanted to curl up and stay engulfed in the comfort forever, but I forced my eyes open and blinked the sleep from my tired eyes.

I was on a bed.

"Huh?" I spoke out loud. I had never been granted the comfort of a mattress before, so even though curiosity told me I should find out where I was, I sat planted in the bed in my nest of blankets and pillows.

I immediately noticed that I had also been clothed. The shirt was a button up flannel with sleeves that reached inches past my fingers and the boxers I had been given were snug around the waist but as long as my knees. The last thing I remembered was passing out on the street completely nude, so where did these clothes come from?

The leather collar was still tight around my neck, with a single chain link dangling from its center. I began to push and struggle with it in hopes that I could finally get it off.

"Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty." An unfamiliar voice startled me and I whipped around to face the man who it belonged to. My eyes landed on a very tall and handsomely young individual with eyes like emeralds and short hair that softly spiked up at the top. He was in standing in the now-open doorway of the room holding a plastic bag in one hand and a paper bag of pleasant-smelling food in the other.

"Who is Sleeping Beauty?" I asked in confusion, getting to my feet. I was surprised by how weak and wobbly they felt. After hobbling for a moment, I stumbled back against the bed.

"Careful there, you don't want to overwork yourself." The young man dropped the bag of groceries on a nearby table and handed the plastic bag to me. "For you," he added after I stared suspiciously at the bag. "We didn't exactly have anything in your size."

I peered into the bag and pulled out a few loose articles of clothing. They were all simple colors and looked like they would fit me better than what I was wearing now. Instead of thanking the stranger for his gifts, I dropped the bag beside me and looked back at him.

"Who are you?" I managed to stutter. "Where am I?"

The man laughed and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He appeared almost as nervous as myself.

"I'm Dean Winchester. You're at a cheap motel in Dallas, Texas. I'm here with my brother Sam on a little trip and we found you passed out in the middle of the street, buck-ass naked."

I felt hotness creep into my cheeks and averted my eyes.

"My name is Castiel." I introduced politely, curling my tail protectively around my waist. "I am a neko."

"I gathered that from the, uh, tail." Dean lifted a hand to point out the furry appendage gathered around my hips. "What happened to you?"

It was strange that a human was being so kind to me. In fact, the kindness was unsettling and put me even more on edge.

_Is he going to take me back to the mill?_

I swallowed the uncomfortable lump in my throat before answering.

"I believe I was euthanized." I finally said, glancing back up to meet his gleaming green eyes. Dean raised his eyebrows in a funny way and chuckled under his breath. "Why is that funny?" I asked tentatively.

"_Euthanized? _As in, put down? No offense, but I can't figure out whether to refer to you as a person or an animal." He was still smiling casually and I had to hide the jab of pain I felt from his words. "So how are you still breathing?"

"God saved me." I responded without missing a beat. "I prayed that he would save my life and he did. I woke up in a garbage dump."

This time the man did not chuckle. He continued to raise his eyebrows apprehensively at me, and I caught them darting up to my ears. In response, I flicked them.

"You don't believe in God?" I assumed.

"Woah there, I think we're skipping a few stones." Dean raised his hands defensively. "Let's start with where you came from. Do you have a home?" Dean continued, sitting on the edge of the bed. I scooted a few inches away from him, still weary of his presence.

"I've lived in four different neko mills." I informed him. "But I was never adopted."

"What about family?" he pressed on.

My heart began to ache thinking about Balthazar and my other half-siblings who had been adopted or died in the neko mills. My silence seemed to answer Dean's question for him.

"So you're completely on your own?" he concluded. I nodded slightly.

"It appears so."

At that moment, the door that Dean had entered through swung open again. An even taller man with shaggy waves of brown hair entered, and in his arms was yet another paper bag. This bag distinctly had the scent of grease and grilled meat.

"I sure hope that's lunch." Dean abandoned the place beside me and went to greet the man I assumed to be his brother.

"Easy, Dean. I got enough to share." The man's eyes landed on me and I felt another surge of embarrassment as he scrutinized my ears. "Hey there."

As I lifted my hand to wave, Dean grabbed the paper bag and dug inside of it, pulling out a mouthwatering package and tossing it in my direction. Luckily my keen reflexes allowed me to catch it graciously. The smell of the cuisine Dean had just given to me was so overwhelmingly delicious that I thanked the Heavens before unwrapping the paper.

"Sam, this is Castiel." I vaguely heard Dean introduce me to his brother but my attention was more focused on the greasy cheeseburger I was holding in my hands. I took a rather large bite, savoring the taste on my tongue for a moment and then stuffing another bite into my cheeks.

"When was the last time he ate?" Sam asked sheepishly, pulling out a box of equally-appetizing french fries and setting them on the end table beside me. I grabbed several and pushed them into my mouth with the savorous burger.

Dean only answered after he had swallowed his own chunk of burger.

"Who knows? He lived at a neko mill. I thought those only existed in movies."

"I'm right here." I interrupted them before chomping down into my meaty substance again. "They are very much real and very unpleasant living environments."

"Have you ever had a burger before, Cas?" Dean stared at me, jaw dropping when I shook my head. "Damn. And I thought we had it bad."

"What Dean means to say is-" Sam quickly butted in, leaning casually against a nearby armchair. "-We're glad you're alright. We're only in town for a few days but… you're more than welcome to stay here while you recover."

I tilted my head slightly.

_Recover? _

Of course. They had seen me naked. It hadn't occurred to me that in the eyes of a human, my body would be considered "wounded". There were still many cuts and bruises from being transported between mills and the violent hands of the men in white who mistreated us. Petty bruises and a few cuts seemed like nothing to fuss over, although my limbs felt heavy and sore thanks to the after effects of Crowley's poison. Perhaps resting in the safety of this motel was my best bet until I regained my strength.

"Thank you." I said as I wiped my mouth on the back of my oversized sleeve. "You're very kind. I will make it up to you both."

"No need." Sam Winchester smiled and placed his hand on top of my head, patting me between the ears. Realization flashed across his face and he quickly pulled his hand away, chuckling awkwardly. I smiled, understanding.

"It's alright." I assured him quietly, twitching my ears. "Your notion was of kindness, and I recognize that. Being petted on the head is actually a very pleasant feeling for us."

Sam's mouth turned into a smile but to my disappointment, he did not resume the petting. I watched him cross over to the bathroom and moments later I heard the water turn on in the shower. I sat alone in the room with Dean, listening to him finish the remnants of his lunch.

My own stomach was more full than I remember it being in a lifetime. I threw the wrapper and empty fry box in the nearby garbage can and turned my attention to the newly purchased clothes that I dug out of the plastic baggie. The clothes I was wearing now were comfortable but were far too big, so I made the decision to make use of the new clothes and change into them.

Unfortunately, halfway through unbuttoning the huge flannel, my arms became weak and I dropped them to my sides looking rather pitiful. Dean must have noticed my pathetic failure and came over to help me.

"I'm sure whatever they shot you with will wear off soon." he said as he got down on his knees beside the bed, starting to undo the flannel where my trembling fingers had failed. "You just need to sleep it off."

I allowed Dean to pull off the shirt and help me into a new one. It was much more comfortable and small enough that it wasn't falling down my shoulders. He volunteered to help me into my new boxers, but embarrassment took over and I shook my head defiantly. He had already seen me naked once; I was too timid to allow that to happen again.

"Thank you for your assistance, Dean." Determined to change my own undergarments, I waited until the young man turned his back to me before starting to shimmy out of the oversized ones and into my own. Luckily I was able to tug them up to my hips before Sam re-entered from the bathroom, shaking water from his hair.

"The bathroom is free." he announced to both of us, walking over and plopping down on the other bed. The thought of a hot shower was dreamy, but my body was too sore to make it all the way to the bathroom.

"I'll wait." I told them, laying down again and pulling the scratchy blankets up to my chin. They felt like feathers in comparison to the cement floors I was used to sleeping on. "I'm going to rest."

"Go ahead. We'll wake you when we've got dinner." Sam prompted me, turning on the television on a low hum. I sighed and settled down against the pillow, finding comfort in its soft plush. My eyes flickered open when I heard Dean stifling a laugh.

Before I could ask, Dean leaned close to his brother and quietly whispered: "He's going to take a _cat nap."_

Sam shoved his arm playfully and I closed my eyes again. There was something comforting about these Winchester boys and I was willing to put up with Dean's harmless teasing to figure out what it was.

**11:13 PM 2 JULY DALLAS TX**

_A pair of men in white coats walked rhythmically down the narrow corridor, footsteps echoing down the barren hallways. There were several doors to either side of them but they were all closed and locked from the outside. The sound of faint mewing was audible, but muted by the thick walls._

_The men in white coats halted in front of a specific door and one of them glanced down at a clipboard he was carrying._

"_Go ahead and take this litter. They're old enough to manage without their mother." _

_The door opened and one of the men made their way into the room, towering over the resting neko woman and two children beside her._

_Castiel was awoken by strange hands beneath his armpits, pulling him into the air and away from the woman he had been curled up against._

"_Mother!" he mewed, reaching for her with outstretched arms. Why were these strange men taking him away from her? _

_The woman looked up miserably at her child but did not try to stop the men. It was as if she had gone through this painful process several times before._

_He was set down on an uncomfortably hard table, which was especially cold against his bare bottom. Moments later he was joined by his siblings, both of them naked and crying for their mother. The young neko children were hardly old enough to speak, much less fend for themselves. Two men in matching white coats returned and began assessing the boys, weighing them, writing down notes about their fur color. They asked each of them their names, which was scribbled down in their notebooks. After they had been evaluated, Castiel hoped that they would be returned to their mother. He was cold and scared without her, and his siblings felt the same._

_One of the men grabbed a cardboard box and began pulling out long strips of leather and chains. Young Castiel began to cry louder, pushing and struggling as they measured the leather around his tiny throat._

"_Shut your wailing, I'm not hurting you." the man snapped angrily, fastening the newly made collar and connecting a large metal chain to the front of it. The leather was tight and hot around his neck and Castiel began to cough, clawing at the heavy material. "Hey! Stop that!" He was firmly scolded, having his hands smacked when he did not obey. The young neko sniffled and held the end of the chain in his tiny fingers. He was very intelligent and realized even at a young age that his freedom was taken away the moment that collar was fastened around his throat. _

"_Put these three with the others." One man ordered, setting me on my feet on the cold tile floor. "And get them something to wear, I'm sick of seeing their cocks hanging out."_

"_We're not going back to mother?" Castiel asked timidly, looking up at the shadowed faces of the men. _

"_Kid, you may as well not have a mother anymore." One man said, grabbing his chain and yanking him out of the room. No matter how much Castiel choked and fought, he was unable to break free from the leather collar that bound him to a life of misfortune._

I shot up into a sitting position, panting and covered in cold sweat. The motel room was dimly lit by the bedside lamp and after a quick look around, I realized it was empty. Relief flooding over me, I took a long deep breath and tried to clear my head.

_It was only a dream, Castiel. That nightmare is over now._

I lifted my hands to shove the blankets away and quickly realized that my fingers were covered in something warm and sticky. Confused, I brought my hands towards the table lamp to get a better look at them.

A wave of heavy nausea washed over me as I realized my fingertips were covered in blood. There was skin buried beneath my fingernails and the blood was fresh. I quickly brought my hands up to my neck, wincing when I felt the stinging raw flesh that I had dug into in my sleep. The skin around my collar felt like it was on fire. As I parted my lips to muffle out a silent cry, the bathroom door opened and Dean Winchester walked out wearing only a comfortable pair of sweatpants.

In the light of the bedside lamp, Dean immediately noticed my fresh wounds and came hurrying over.

"I-I had a night terror!" I gasped, dropping my sticky hands into my lap. The sight of blood on my hands was making me sick. Dean crouched down in front of me, touching my chin with his index finger and lifting it slightly to view the damage better.

"That's a hell of a night terror." He muttered, leaning back. "Come on into the bathroom."

I stood up, thankful that my legs were strong enough to carry my weight now, and followed Dean into the crowded bathroom. My eyes fixed themselves on the ground, knowing themselves that I didn't want to see what I had done to myself.

Dean sat me down on the toilet seat and grabbed a white hand towel, the only available color that any motel seemed to have. He soaked it in cool water and began to pat at my wound, causing an even hotter burning sensation.

"How bad is it?" I asked quietly, gripping my hands into fists.

"Not too deep." The man assured me, handing me another towel to wipe my hands with. "It looks painful though. We oughta find a way to get this collar off."

"I've tried." I mumbled, picking at the clumps of skin under my nails. "I've had the same one since I was a kid. It's too tight to try and pull it off and it's too thick for scissors."

Dean put the towel aside and I regretfully noticed the bright shade of candy apple red it had become.

"You just didn't have the right tools, that's all." The young man disappeared from the bathroom, returning minutes later with what seemed to be a very large pair of pliers.

"How are you going to cut it with those?" I asked, eyeing the tool warily.

"Oh, I'm not." Dean smiled, leaning down in front of me again. "I'm going to use the pliers to pull it away from your skin. I'm going to use _this _to cut it." He revealed a very sharp blade from his pocket, making me squirm uncomfortably.

"No." I said, putting my hands to the collar. He raised his eyebrows. "You'll cut me." Dean frowned, mock offended.

"I will not! Have a little faith. You're all about the Almighty, right? Don't you think He'll keep you safe?"

I pursed my lips and crossed my arms.

"Are you using my religion to coax me?" I demanded, feeling offended myself.

"Do you want this bondage off or not?" Dean snarked, staring at me with intense green eyes. "If you don't want my help-"

"Okay." Finally I let my guard down, clamping my eyes shut and tightening my fists. "Please be careful, Dean."

With a pleased smirk on his face, Dean set to work.

"What was the dream about anyway?" he asked casually.

"I was remembering the neko mill." I responded, feeling the collar tighten as he attempted to lift it with the pliers. "I suppose it was more of a flashback than a- ouch!" The leather was uncomfortably tight and the tool he was using was poking at the raw scratches around it.

"Stay still." Dean commanded, using his other hand to draw the knife across the collar, starting to saw at the material carefully. "Was it really that bad?" His voice sounded wary, like he wasn't sure he should have asked. I slowly nodded.

"I will never go back." I whispered firmly, hearing his sawing get faster and louder as he cut through the leather with ease. I clamped my eyes shut and held my breath, preparing to feel the cool metal slice my neck.

To my immediate relief, I felt the leather loosen and a heavy weight vanished from my throat. The chain clattered loudly against the bathroom tile, landing next to the frayed collar which no longer bound me. I gently touched the patch of flesh I had never felt before.

"That better?" The man smirked, leaning back into a sitting position against the wall. "I'm surprised you could breathe with that thing so tight. You've got a hell of a bruise there."

"Thank you, Dean." I whispered, taking in a longer, deeper breath of air. It felt like I had gained another lung. "I will repay you somehow." I meant these words, but Dean just stared at me with those amused leafy eyes.

He didn't answer until he had cleaned and dressed my wound with a layer of soft white gauze.

"Have dinner with me and I'll call it even." Dean finally smiled, rinsing his hands off in the sink. My ears twitched on their own.

"Have dinner with you? It's almost midnight..."

"Not _right now,_ you idiot." He snickered. "Tomorrow, when you don't look like you're about to fall asleep on your paws." I caught the glint of satisfaction in his tone of using another feline pun.

"Dean Winchester... Are you asking me on a date?" My lips dropped slightly, ever so hesitant to oblige to his suggestion. The older man's eyes widened at my accusation and he laughed loudly, wiping his hands roughly on a nearby towel. He had quickly become flustered.

"_What? _Are you kidding? I'm not... no, man. Just dinner, like friends. Shit. No. No, I don't roll that way."

"Roll what way?" I lifted my eyes. "Homosexual tendencies or interests in a neko?" It was an honest question.

Our eyes met for a split second and I could pinpoint the precise moment that Dean's aggressive personality was flipped on.

"Fuck, forget I said anything." He turned his back to me and left the bathroom, leaving the door hanging open. I watched him disappear out the front door and slam it loudly behind him, making me jump. Within moments my feline hearing picked up the engine of a car speeding off.

I couldn't understand how what I said could be particularly offensive, but I tried not to be too let down by Dean's flee. Left alone in the motel, I splashed some water on my face and dared to glance up at my reflection in the mirror.

There was a heavy ring of purple hues where the collar had strangled me. Below this was the layer of gauze that my human companion had applied, which hid the mess of scratches my night terror had caused. Other than the obvious, I looked terrible.

My hair had overgrown into a shaggy mess that fell into my eyes, even concealing part of my ears. There were heavy circles under my eyes and the faint signs of old bruising along my jaw and brow bone. I examined my reflection for a long moment, unhappy with what I saw.

Perhaps now was the proper time for a bath.

**2:00AM 3 JULY DALLAS TX**

The old clock on the wall read two in the morning by the time I came out of the bathroom. Thanks to a generous amount of motel soap, I no longer smelled like the garbage dump I had been abandoned in. The color of the water draining from the tub reminded me just how filthy I had been and I wondered curiously how Sam and Dean had managed to get so close to me without pinching their noses.

Luckily I now smelled of warm vanilla sugar. My hair was soft and damp, cut short with the knife that Dean had left in the bathroom after his speedy escape. I enjoyed the way it stuck out in random directions on the top yet laid flat and smooth in the back.

I slipped back into the clean clothes that the boys had brought back for me, looking much better than I had when I woke from my nap. The bath had certainly helped me relax, and now that it was the wee hours of morning I felt the urge to climb back into bed and sleep.

Seconds after I got comfortable, the front door opened and a gust of cool air rushed into the room. I shivered and sunk down further into the blankets, peeking out from beneath them to see which of the brothers had returned.

Sam and Dean walked in together, silently closing the door. Sam had his arm around his brother and upon examining Dean, I realized that he was definitely… intoxicated.

I had come in contact with several intoxicated handlers before, and none of them were pleasant occasions. The scent of alcohol was unbearably strong and I sniffed, rubbing my nostrils.

Sam led his older brother to the closest bed, which happened to be my own. He let Dean drop onto the mattress and the short-haired man rolled slowly onto his side, groaning.

"Why is he drunk?" I asked, sitting up and staring at the moaning man beside me. Part of me already knew the answer I was looking for: He had gotten mad at me for accusing him of an inaccurate sexuality and used alcohol to deal with whatever emotions he was battling.

"It's just something he does…" Sam trailed off, putting his hands on his hips and glaring down at his brother. "I wish he wouldn't. He turns into an asshole."

"I'm not an asshole!" Dean snapped from the bed, rolling onto his opposite side and drowning his face in the pillow, his groans muffled. I smiled slightly, comparing him to a child in a tantrum.

The younger Winchester finally looked at me and realized my drastic change in appearance. He seemed pleasantly surprised, which I hoped was a good thing.

"You look better, Cas. I like the haircut."

"Thank you Sam."

"You don't mind if I leave him here, do you?" The younger Winchester continued. "I had to leave what I was doing to pick him up from the bar."

"I'll watch him." I promised, staring deeply into the back of Dean's head. Sam bid me goodbye and disappeared out the door again, forgetting to mention when he would return. It was just me and Dean Winchester once again.

I reached over and prodded Dean's shoulder.

"Guhhhhhhh."

"You're on my side of the bed." I pointed out quietly, wondering if the drunken man even had enough sense to move over. "Could you please-"

"Nuhh." Dean hushed me rudely, throwing his arm up half-hazardly and flicking me off with his middle finger. My eyes narrowed and I huffed. This man had saved my life by taking me off of the street, but as of right now I felt little to thank him for.

I turned onto my side and huddled into the small space of the mattress that Dean had not claimed with his sprawled limbs.

"Thank you God, for saving my life." I began to whisper. "Thank you again for giving me the strength to survive. Thank you for sending me Sam and Dean Winchester… even though the latter can be quite rude… Thank you for these blessings… and I pray that you continue to watch over me, as well as these brothers. I know you sent me to them for a reason, God. And I will do everything I can to walk the path you've laid for me."

Minutes later, the bed shifted as Dean turned back to face me. His eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly parted to breathe. I was aware of the new proximity of our bodies, his warm chest close and heartbeat audible. It was comforting, and I allowed myself to lean into the unintentional embrace.

"Goodnight, Dean." I closed my eyes and started to drift away, vaguely listening to the rhythmic sounds of Dean Winchester's snoring in my ear.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you think! Special thanks to my tumblr friend mr-nightmarestag for inspiring me to continue writing! Stay tuned for the next installment of Hum Hallelujah! *throws angel shaped cookies at reviewers***

**Love you guys! - fuchsia light**


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